How to Get an Olive Oil Stain Out of Pants

Because of its greasy nature, olive oil can be tricky to remove from clothing. But there is no need to throw out an otherwise good pair of trousers just because there is olive oil on them. Common household products are used to remove olive oil stains. It is best to treat the stains at first sight for the greatest chance of successfully removing them.

Soak up as much of the oil as possible. Use paper towels to carefully blot at the olive oil stain. Switch to clean portions of the paper towel as one part becomes filled with oil. Avoid rubbing or the oil may spread further.

Sprinkle baby powder, baking soda, cornflour or talcum powder onto the olive oil. Use your fingers to gently rub the powder into the trousers. Allow it to sit on the trousers for at least 10 minutes. Ideally, the powder should sit on the trousers overnight.

Shake out the trousers outdoors or over a dustbin to remove the powder. Use a dry rag to further remove the powder.

Place the oil-stained trousers face down on an old rag. Spray the back side of the stain with a generous amount of household lubricating spray. Allow the spray to sit on the trousers for 10 minutes.

Cover the back side of stain with grease-cutting dish soap. Use your fingers to work the soap into the fabric. Rinse the fabric with the hottest water allowed for the fabric.

Fill a bucket or sink with warm water. Add a few squirts of grease-cutting dish soap.

Place the trousers in the bucket. Allow them to soak in the bucket for at least three hours.

Remove the trousers from the bucket. Apply a laundry pre-treatment spray to the olive oil stain.

Launder the trousers as usual in the hottest water allowed for the fabric. Allow the trousers to air-dry. Do not put the trousers in the dryer until you are sure that all of the olive oil has been removed. The heat from the dryer will set in the stain.

Repeat the process of applying lubricating spray, dish soap, soaking the trousers in soapy water, applying a laundry pretreatment spray and washing if the olive oil stain persists. Stubborn olive oil stains may require more than one attempt to remove.